Protect Against Voter Fraud

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Florida Laws Should Be Tightened To Make Sure That Voters Have A Stake In The Local Community.

December 23, 1996|By Rose

The controversy over absentee ballots in the Volusia County sheriff's race raises troubling questions about Florida's election law.

Florida lawmakers must take steps to guard against abuse and fraud.

State law governing residency currently is so broad that part-time residents and even people who have moved out of the state cast their votes here.

In Florida, a person's residence is where he or she says it is. Lacking a definition in the statutes, courts have ruled that if a person says he or she intends to live in a place, that's as good as living there.

Research by The Orlando Sentinel found the disturbing outcome of such a loosely written law. About 500 people who had changed their addresses to a place outside Volusia voted by absentee ballot in Volusia County in the last election. There were some people who had not lived in Volusia for several years who voted by absentee ballot in the most recent election.

The issue isn't absentee ballots, of course. It only makes sense to let people vote by this method when circumstances keep them from coming to the polls. Nor is it a question of making it harder to vote.

The issue is the validity of residency.

In a state with such a transient population as Florida, indicators for residency should be clearly defined. Across the nation states define residency in many different ways, but Florida's law is overly broad.

As a protection against fraud, Florida also needs a statewide computerized voter list. Such a list would safeguard against having people registered in several Florida counties simultaneously. Checking for duplicate registrations is presently impossible in Florida because each elections supervisor maintains separate voter records.

A statewide registry is especially important in a state in which people move with the seasons or have more than one residence. Arizona, for example, periodically compares voter registration lists from all its jurisdictions to make sure no person is listed more than once.

Federal election officials recognize the need for such cross-checking. The Federal Election Commission is examining how states can set up compatible computerized records so states could check voter-registration information from other states.

That would let states share voter-registration information much the same way many states now check driver's license records.

Don't voter records deserve the same careful attention?

Only 13 states have statewide registries or are putting them in place, but another 11 states are developing systems.

In Florida, the idea has been around for a long time, but has never been approved. Florida lawmakers should make such a registry a priority.

As the Volusia sheriff's race proves, every vote counts. Winter Park police Lt. Gus Beckstrom lost to Volusia County Sheriff Bob Vogel by a fraction of 1 percent of the votes cast in the election.

The lesson of the Volusia County sheriff's race is that lawmakers should take seriously the need to tighten Florida's election laws.